Segregator system



June 1, 948. D. SAMIRAN SEGREGATORl SYSTEM Filedl June 26, 1945 Patented June l, 1948 UNITED STTS ArtNr oFFicE,

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. Gr. 75?!) 6 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes' without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

'This invention relates to segregator systems, and is particularly effective in separating water from liquid hydrocarbon in a fuel dispensing system.

An object of the invention is to provide a segregating system of this character having a fuel storage tank and two pumps, one pump being preferably, but not necessarily, smaller than the other and so arranged that when there is no water present in the storage tank both pumps will be pumping fuel, but when water is for any reason present, the smaller pump will automatically assume the duty of pumping out the water leaving the larger pump to temporarily assume the burden oi maintaining the fuel supply.

Another object is to provide a dual segregator unit having'a larger compartment into which the larger pump discharges and a smaller oompartment into which the smaller pump discharges, the larger compartmentv discharging the fuel content after the water has been separated therefrom directly to the service nozzle, and the smaller compartment discharging the fuel content after the water has been separated therefrom into the larger compartment.

Float operated valves are provided for controlling the discharge openings, the floats being operative to rise in water but sink in fuel, whereby, when the water rises to a predetermined level, the discharge passages are closed, and when the water falls to a lower predetermined level the discharge passages are opened.

Another object is to so construct and arrange the device that when the smaller pump is pumping a fluid which is largely or entirely water, the float in the smaller compartment of the segregator will not only rise to close the discharge opening which connects the top of the smaller compartment to the bottom of the larger compartment, but will open the bottom of the smaller compartment to the atmosphere, with additional automatically operative drainage means whereby, if any water is left in the segregator when the system is not in use, it will be returned to the storagel tank so that nol damage due to freezing of the water in the segregator will occur.

OtherV objects and advantages will become evident as theinvention is further described with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of the assembled system as it appears when substantially no water is 2 being pumped by either pump or as it 'appears when the system `is at'rest.

Fig. 2 'is a schematic view of the assembled -sy'S- tem as it appears when the output-of the smaller pump is largely or entirely water.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawing, the main pump I0 and an -au'xiliary pump l2 have their respective suction pipes I4 and I6 connected to a tank I8. 'The'end of the suction pipe I6 extends to a'point relatively close to the bottom of the tank, while the'end of the suction pipe 'i4 is somewhat farther up from the bottom.

A float cage 20 is attached to the lower end of the suction pipe i4 and contains a float 22 which is so balanced that it will remain in the bottom of the cage when suspended in hydrocarbon fuel but will rise to the topof the cage when suspended in water, The upper end of the float carries a valve -part 24 which is adapted toY be raised into engagement with the valve se'at 25 "to shut off the suction line I4 if an unusually large amount of water should inadvertently get into the tank.

Main pump lo discharges into the main discharge line 28, while auxiliary pump I2 discharges into the auxiliary discharge line 30. Main pump It is provided with a relief valve 32 and auxiliary pump le with a relief valve 34 whereby excess pressure at the discharge sides'o'f the pumps may return to theintake side as in common practice.

A dual segregator, which may be broadly designated by the numeral 36, consists of a body portion 3B closed at the upper end by the upper head 4l! and at the lower end by the lower head 4 2, the heads being held' to the body portion by screws or similar means. The upper'headll has a hollow hub 4 4 with a lateral opening into which the main discharge pipe 28' empties.. A partitioning member 46 'Within and vintegral `with the hub 44 divides the interior of' the hub 44 into a uid receiving passageway 48 and a Idelivery passageway 50 from which'the delivery pipe 5 2 emanates. The partitioning member 46' at its lower end supports a float `cage 54. A float 56 is contained in and guided by the cage 54 and carries a valve part 58 on its top surface, the float 58 being balanced' to rise' in water but sink in hydrocarbon fuel, whereby the float 565 normally remains in the position shown in the dra-wing but may, if the Water rises sufficiently, rise and close the passageway 6i] which connects the interior of the float cage with' thel delivery passageway 59, wherebyfuel delivery to the nozzle 3 62 will be, for the time being, interrupted. A deflector or baille 64 shields the float 56 so that it will not be influenced by movement of fuel entering the passageway 48. As a means of eliminating accumulated air or vapor, a small hollow hub 65 on the upper side of the hub 44 contains a small iloat 61 which is so balanced as to maintain an air valve 69 closed as long as th'e fuel level is at a predetermined high level but will drop and open the air valve whenever an accumulation of air or vapor in and around the air valve 69 forces the level of the fuel downward to a predetermined low level.

The lower head 42 has a hollow hub 66 with a lateral opening into which the pipe 30 discharges. A baille in the form of a bowl 68 is carried by the upper end of a small hub 16 which extends upwardly from the bottom within the larger hub 66, thereby leaving a space 12 completely around the bowl 68 between the bowl and the head 42. A horizontally disposed partition 14 divides the space within the segregator unit 36 into a main compartment 1S and an auxiliary compartment 18.

A float cage 89, preferably made of fine mesh screening, at its lower end rests on the bowl 68 and is held at its upper end by thehorizontal partition 14. A oat 82 balanced to sink in hydrocarbon fuel but rise in water is guided for vertical movement in the cage 86. Float 82 on its upper surface carries a valve part 84 adapted upon upward movement of the iloat to close the passageway 86 between the compartments 16 and 18 and on its lower surface it carries a valve part 88 adapted upon downward movement of the float to'close the passageway 96 which connects the inside of the bowl 68 at the bottom to the atmosphere.

A small fluid return pipe 92 extends from the segregator 36 to the bottom of the supply tank I 8, a branch pipe 94 extending to the inside of the hub 66 and a branch pipe 95 to the upper portion of the chamber 18. One or more small leakage openings 96 connect the inside of the bowl 68 at the bottom to the space within the hub 66.

The operation of the improved seg-regator system is as follows:

Assuming that the tank I8 is full of fuel and that no water content is present, the apparatus will then be in the condition shown in Fig. 1. If both pumps are put into operation, the main pump I will draw fuel from the tank I8 through the intake pipe I 4 and deliver it through the discharge pipe 28 and passageway 48 into the main segregator chamber 16, any air which may be contained in the fuel, passing out through the air eliminator valve 69 in the usual manner. Since there isV now no water content, the float 56 remains in the lower position shown, the baifle .64 being operative to so spread the inflow that there will be no appreciable upward current to disturb the float 56. The fuel therefore flows through the openings in the cage 54 through the passageways 60 and 58 and through the discharge line 52 to the nozzle 62.

Still assuming that no water has accumulated in the tank I8, the auxiliary pump I2 draws fuel from the tank through the suction line I6 and delivers it through the discharge line 38 into the hub 66 from which it passes through the space 12 between the hub and the bowl 68, then through the screen 80 and through the passageway 86 into the main chamber 16, where it mixes with the fuel being pumped'by the main pump I6 and passes to the nozzle 62 in the same manner,

'4 Assume next that a small amount of water has in some manner gotten into the tank I8, and has risen to a level just slightly above the lower end of the auxiliary suction pipe I6. The auxiliary ,pump I2 may now pump a mixture, since it may alternately get hold of water then fuel. As long as the amount of water is relatively small, the float 82 may rise just far enough to slightly open the drain valve 88 `but not far enough t0 close the shutoff valve 84, the small water content thereby passing out the drain 66. A small quantity of water may at this time pass through the branch pipe 94'and a small quantity of fuel or Water through the branch pipe 95, then through the small return pipe 92 back to the tank I8. Should the water content in the tank I8 become greater, as, for instance, great enough to rise to the level 98, Fig. 2, the auxiliary pump I2 would pump water only and thereby soon raise the float 82 sufliciently to close the `passageway 86 and open the drain opening 96 wide, as seen in Fig. 2.

For the time being then the main pump I0 would alone supply the nozzle 62. The iloat 22 provided at the lower end of the suction pipe I4 is substantially never called upon to perform its function since it is only in extreme and unexpected circumstances that the water level will rise high enough to close this float. When it does, however, no fuel can be delivered by either pump since the float A22 closes the suction line of the main pump and the float 82 closes the passageway 86, thereby shutting off discharge from the auxiliary pump. A condition may, however, arise where the water content rises gradually in the tank I8 so that a limited quantity of water may be drawn up through the suction pipe I4 by the main pump I 0 before the oat 22 rises far enough to shut off the suction inlet I4. When the water level in theV tank is at such a height, necessarily the float 82 will have the passageway 86' closed, because the auxiliary pump I2 will also have been pumping water. If the water, which succeeded in entering the suction line I4 is suflicient to build high enough in the chamber 16 to raise the float 56, the valve part 58 will close the passageway 60 and thereby shut off the discharge to the nozzle 62. It is 'only'under abnormal circumstances, however, that the water level will ever reach the float 22. When the system is not in operation, the contents of the chamber 18 will drain back to the tank I8, through the branch pipes 95 and 94, that within the bowl 68 passing gradually through the leakage opening or openings 86, whereby the 4danger of freezing within the segragator is substantially eliminated.

Having described an embodiment of my invention, I claim:

l. In a segregator system for separating a lighter from a heavier liquid, a supply tank, a main pump, an auxiliary pump, an auxiliary suction conduit for the auxiliary pump having its suction opening relatively close to the bottom of the tank; a main suction conduit for the main pump having its suction opening relatively farther from the bottom of the tank than the suction opening of the auxiliary suction conduit, a float cage associated with the suction opening of the main suction conduit, a suction conduit iioat in said cage balanced to sink to the bottom of the cage when suspended in the lighter liquid and to rise to the top of the cage when suspended in the heavier liquid, a Valve operative by rise of said float to close the suction inlet of the main suction conduit, a dual segregator comprising a housing, a partition dividing the space housing ,into a main chamber and member, a main discharge conduit connecting .the discharge side of the main Dump to. hiaincharnber, an auxiliary clisconnecting the discharge side -of the pump -to .the auxiliary chamber, -a .Service a service conduit connecting the top .of said main to the service nbzzle,

containing an auxiliary passageway connecting said auxiliary chamber to the chamber, a main' iioat and an auxiliary in the main yand auxiliary chambers -respectively, both balanced to sin-k in. the lighter liquid but .to rise in the heavier iliquid, a baille in each chamber positioned to prevent the enteringliquid from discharging directly against the floats in ,said chambers, main and an auxiliary valve carried onv the upper end of the auxiliary Y Heats repsectiyeiy,

adapted upon a rise of the and the, aux:

lliary 4iiloat adapted unondownsvard movement of, saidau-Xiliary ilnat to close saiddrainage con- Ault, and a restricted. return pipe VYconnecting the ailxdliaxychamber back to thetank.

.2. In a ,segregator system for separating. a lighter from a heavierliquid, a supply tank, a main pump, an auxiliary pump, an auxiliary suction conduit for the auxiliary pump having its suction opening relatively close to the bottom of the tank, a main suction conduit for the main pump having its suction opening relatively farther from the lbottom of the tank than the suction opening of the auxiliary suction conduit, a dual segregator comprising a housing, a partition dividing the space within said housing into a main chamber and an auxiliary chamber, a main discharge conduit connecting the discharge side of the main pump to the main chamber, an auxiliary discharge conduit connecting the discharge side of the auxiliary pump to the auxiliary chamber, a service nozzle, said main chamber containing a main delivery passageway connecting the top of said main chamber to the service nozzle, and said partition containing a transfer passageway connecting said auxiliary chamber to the main chamber, a main iioat and an auxiliary iloat in the main and auxiliary chambers respectively, both balanced to sink in the lighter liquid but to rise in the heavier liquid, a baiile in each chamber positioned to prevent the entering liquid from discharging directly against th'e floats in said cham- Ibers, a main and an auxiliary valve carried on the upper end of the main and the auxiliary floats respectively, adapted upon a rise of the main and theauxiliary iloats to close the main delivery and the transfer passageways respectively, a drainage conduit in said auxiliary chamber, a valve member associated with said auxiliary float adapted upon downward movement of said auxiliary float to close said drainage conduit, and a restricted return pipe connecting the auxiliary chamber back to the tank.

3. In a segregator system for separating a lighter from a heavier liquid, a supply tank, a main gpump, an auxiliary pump, there being an auxiliary suction passageway for the auxiliary pump having a suction opening relatively close to the bottom of the tank, and a main suction passageway for the main pump having a suction opening relatively farther from the bottom of the tardi. 'than the :suction opening lof Athe auxtliarr suction passageway, segregating meansce:riprising, a `main chamber and an auxiliary chamber, there being a main discharge passageway connecting the discharge side of the-main pump to the `:main chamber, and an auxiliary discharge `passageway connecting vthe discharge sideof the auxiliary pum-p to the auxiliary chamber, 'a' delivery pipe, there being a main delivery `passage"- -way connecting the ltop of vsaid main chamber to the delivery pipe, and a-transfer passageway connecting -said auxiliary chamber to the main chamber, neat-valves, one` in the main chamber adapteclfor closing said main Adelivery issageway and Aanother in the 'auxiliary chamber y `acgiapted for closing said transfer passageway, theoats being balanced to rise in the lheavier liquidyand the valves being constructed and arranged -to close upon a predetermined rise of -the'floa-ts, a baille .each chamber positioned to prevent the enteringv liquid from discharging directly againstthe float valve, means containing a drainage opening 4in the wall of said raux!- i'liar-y chamber, a valve member 4associ-ated with said vauxiliary vfloat valve adapted upon the opening of said auxiliary `iloat valve to V.close Vsaid drainage opening, and a Arestricted rreti-irri pipe connecting the auxiliary chamber lback to the tank. Y l Y 4. A system for separatinga lighter from-a heavier liquid, which comprises a supply tank, ai main pump and an auxiliary pump, there being a suction passageway for each pump extending from the pumps to the supply tank, the suction passageway of the auxiliary pump extending to a point closer to the bottom yof the tank than the suction passageway of the main pump, segregating means comprising, a main -chamber and an auxi1iary chamber, there being a main discharge passageway connecting the discharge side of the main pump to the main chamber, and an auxiliary discharge passageway connecting the discharge side of the auxiliary pump to the auxiliary chamber, a delivery conduit, there being a main delivery passageway connecting the top of said main chamber to the delivery conduit, and a transfer passageway connecting said auxiliary chamber to the main chamber, iloat valves, one in the main chamber adapted for closing said main delivery passageway and another in the auxiliary chamber adapted for closing said transfer passageway the floats being balanced to rise in the heavier liquid and the valves being constructed and arranged to close upon a predetermined rise of the floats, means containing la drainage opening in said auxiliary chamber, a valve member associated with said auxiliary float valve, adapted upon the opening of said auxiliary float valve to close said drainage opening, and a. restricted return pipe connecting the auxiliarychamber back to the tank.

5. In a segregator system for separating a lighter from a heavier liquid, a main pump, an auxiliary pump, there being a main suction pas'- sageway connecting the main pump to the supply tank, and an auxiliary suction passageway connecting the auxiliary pump to the supply tank, the auxiliary suction passageway havinga suction opening at a lower level than the suction opening of the main suction passageway, segregating means comprising, a main chamber and an auxiliary chamber, there being a main discharge opening connecting the discharge side of the main pump to the main chamber, and an auxiliary discharge opening connecting the dislchargel side'of the auxiliary pump to the auxil- -mined rise of the floats, means containing a drainage opening in said auxiliary chamber, and afdrainage valve member associated with said auxiliary float valve adapted upon the lopening of said auxiliary oat valve to move said drainage valve member to close said drainage opening.

l6. In a segregator system for separating a lighter from a heavier liquid, a liquid container, a main pump, an auxiliary pump, there being a suctioncpening for each pump, the auxiliary pump having its suction opening at a lower level with vrespect to said container than the suction openingA of the main pump, segregating means comprising, a main chamber for receiving the discharge from the main pump and an auxiliary chamber for receiving the discharge from the auxiliary pump, adelivery pipe, there being a main passageway connecting the top of said main chamber to the delivery pipe, and a transfer passageway connecting said auxiliary chamber to the main chamber, float valves, one in the main chamber adapted for closing said main passageway and another in the auxiliary chamber for closing said transfer passageway, the iioats being balanced to rise in the heavier liquid and the valves being constructed and arranged to close upon a predetermined rise of the oatsmeans containing a drainage opening in the wall of said auxiliary chamber, and a drainage valve member associated with said auxiliary float valve adapted upon the opening of said auxiliary float valve to move said drainage valve member to close said drainage opening. y DAVID SAMIRAN.

REFERENCES CITED p The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date' Re.21,741 Samiran Mar. 4, 1941 1,948,543 Samran Feb. 27, 1934 2,057,693 Samran Oct. 20, 1936 2,120,266 Samiran June 14, v1938 2,311,697 Samiran Feb. 23, 1943 2,375,428

Marsh May 8,' 1945 

